Interview with Major Sam

I’m a cosplayer/Youtuber and I’m here to share with you my latest online interview with the amazing and talented Cosplayer Major Sam, who recently won the international C2E2 Crown Championships of Cosplay competition, and became the first Australian to ever be crowned!

A big thanks to Sam Mansfield (Major Sam) for taking the time to answer all my questions.

Note: When I started to talking to Sam I found she was currently travelling. Let’s begin.

So where are you travelling to at the moment?
I’m currently in LA visiting Disneyland, Universal Studios and going to Wondercon this weekend. My first holiday in 2 years!

How long have you been cosplaying for?
I’ve been cosplaying since 2011. I’m still considered a cosplay baby to some!

What got you into cosplay?
I’ve always loved costumes but once I went to my first convention and saw everyone dressing up, I knew that’s what I wanted to do.

Why personally do you cosplay? What is cosplay for you?
It’s a chance to use my crafting skills in a way that I show off and enjoy wearing. It’s a fantastic way to meet like minded people.

Do you see yourself continuing cosplay as a hobby in say 5 years time?
Absolutely! Cosplay has no age limit and opens up new costumes to do.

What’s your favourite cosplay you have done?
Definitely Miss Kitty. It’s fun, flirty, cool and comfortable. It’s my go to if I need to run around a lot.

Miss Kitty, by Major Sam

What cosplay has been your most expensive to make?
I try not to mention how much my costumes cost but the most expensive was Julietta Necromancer and La Carlotta being slightly cheaper. They aren’t as expensive as you would think!

Julietta Necromancer, By Major Sam (International winning cosplay)

La Carlotta, By Major Sam (National winning cosplay)

Do you have any cosplay pet peeves?
I get a bit frustrated with people who want amazing costumes but won’t put the time into it. You have to work for quality and there is no easy way.

What do you feel you struggle with the most with cosplay?
Definitely hard costume props. I’m a seamstress by nature so glues and paints are foreign to me but I’ve got to do it! I think I’m getting better.

What do you feel are your strengths?
I’ve done a lot of corsetry over the years and I’m very comfortable wearing and making them. I am wearing two corsets for Julietta Necromancer!

What was your first ever convention you attended and when?
My first convention was Brisbane Supanova 2011 with my brother. That’s when I started to be interested in cosplay.

What is your next convention you plan to attend?
I’ll be at Wondercon in LA this weekend then I’ll be at Gold Coast Supanova in 3 weeks time to help judge the cosplay competition.

You recently won international cosplayer (congratulations by the way). Was this your first time entering an international cosplay competition at C2E2? If not what were your past entries?
This was my first international cosplay competition. To get to Chicago, I had to win the Australian OZ Comic Con Championships circuit which I did with La Carlotta.

La Carlotta, By Major Sam

Were you nervous at the competition or radiating confidence?
I was shaking and nervous. Unlike scores in a sport, cosplay doesn’t have that and it is a real free-for-all. You have to put all your trust into the judges.

You have a lot of people who look up to you as a cosplayer. Is there anything you’d like to say to them?
I would love to thank them from the bottom of my heart and the advice I can give them is to make sure they give it their all. Put the TIME and EFFORT into your costume and you’ll make wonderful costumes you are happy with. Hope this is OK! If you need anything, let me know and I’ll get back to you when I can. Feel free to take pictures from my page as long as no watermarks are removed and all photographers are credited where available. Thanks again! Sam Mansfield (Major Sam)

So a HUGE thank you to Sam who was a great help, and a big congratulations!

Stay tuned for more Cosplay interviews, tips and convention insights.

You can check out Major Sam Cosplay’s page here, as well as Drunni’s cosplay page here.

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About The Author

Hey Hey! My name is Drunni, I'm a food enthusiast and a video games and cosplay addict! I've been gaming since I could hold a console remote (Playstation of course) and I have been cosplaying for two years. I'm always looking to learn and pass on anything I've learnt about cosplay in my time doing it. Feel free to get in contact with me and ask me any questions and i will try to get back to you ASAP! Thanks :3